Tears as The Nation man Uyoatta is buried

It was an emotion-laden ceremony attended by family members and journalists as the remains of Uyoatta Eshiet, the Akwa Ibom State Correspondent of The Nation, were interred yesterday.

Friends and well-wishers wept when the brown coffin bearing the body of the late journalist arrived at his family’s compound in Afia Nsit Urua Nko, Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.

The late Uyoatta died on April 13, after an illness.

A mass was conducted by clerics of the Living Faith Church (aka Winners’ Chapel).

They prayed for the late Uyoatta and the children he left behind.

The clerics urged sympathisers to examine their lives, have more intimacy with God, live a holy life and be prayerful, if they wanted to make heaven.

The eldest son, Daniel, described the late Uyoatta as an easy going man who could hardly hurt a fly.

Daniel said: “I don’t know exactly where to start from because it is just too frustrating and disheartening. Just two years after losing a precious jewel, and still going through the process of healing, you had to take away the second pair of my precious jewel.

“Dad, after all the stress you went through, depriving yourself of the basic necessities of life, just to meet those of my siblings and I, without even reaping the fruits of your labour, death took you away.

“Death! Why now, when he was just about to start reaping the fruits of his labour? I feel like I’m dreaming and someone needs to wake me up from this nightmare. But every time I think about it, it all keeps getting real that I and my siblings are left alone. It tears me up inside, knowing you won’t be there to see your children become what God destined them to be in life.”

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, in a condolence message to the family, described the late Uyoatta as a great loss to the state and The Nation.

Represented by Information Commissioner Aniekan Umanah and Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Ekerete Udoh, the governor noted that by Uyoatta’s death, the family, community and the state would miss his services.

The governor urged Christians to avoid taking the wrong direction but allow God to dictate their affairs because they would account for every deed in the hereafter.

The state’s Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chairman Patrick Albert described the deceased as a good natured person whose contribution to journalism would always be remembered.

The NUJ chairman, who also said the late Uyoatta distinguished himself as a humble, gentle and respectful journalist, added that everything in life was driven by something.

But he said until something is driven by God, there would be misadventure.